"Pure" human hematopoietic progenitors: permissive action of basic fibroblast growth factor
Article Abstract:
Hematopoietic progenitor cells mature into the various types of blood cells. A method for the purification of hematopoietic progenitors in large quantities from normal human adult blood has been developed. The hematopoietic progenitor cells express on their cell surfaces a molecule known as CD34. The cells are purified using antibodies against the CD34 molecule, along with other means of physically and immunologically separating the types of blood cells found in normal adult blood. The cells require a number of growth factors including interleukin-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, erythropoietin, and basic fibroblast growth factor for optimal growth in tissue culture. These growth factors are released by various types of cells in the body. The basic fibroblast growth factor has a regulatory role in the growth of the hematopoietic progenitor cells. The ability to grow the hematopoietic progenitor cells in culture will allow for studying the development and maturation of blood cells. The isolation of progenitor cells can also be used for transplantation of the cells back into the patient that they were isolated from, if the person has developed certain types of diseases in which the number of progenitor cells are reduced or the cells become diseased. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: Science
Subject: Science and technology
ISSN: 0036-8075
Year: 1990
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Inhibition of leishmanias but not host macrophages by the antitubulin herbicide trifluralin
Article Abstract:
Leishmaniasis is a major parasitic disease in developing countries; drug therapies to cure and prevent the disease are not yet satisfactory. Since the most plentiful protein produced by leishmanias (members of the genus Leishmania) is tubulin, efforts to develop effective chemotherapeutic drugs have focused on anti-tubulin agents. One of these, known to affect beta-tubulin, is a herbicidal chemical called trifluralin. The effect of trifluralin on Leishmania mexicana amazonensis was studied. The parasite has two forms, corresponding to the two stages of its life cycle: a promastigote form (with a flagellum located toward its head end), found in the gut of the sand fly; and an amastigotic form (with no flagella), found in macrophages (cells that attack and ingest invaders) in mammals. Trifluralin was found to inhibit promastigote proliferation and probably reduced amastigote replication, as well. In addition, it prevented differentiation of the parasite from amastigote to promastigote stages. It appears that trifluralin works by binding to leishmania tubulin, but not to the tubulin present in mammals. The results suggest that this drug, and related herbicides known to be nontoxic to man and animals, may be of use as chemotherapeutic agents against leishmaniasis. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: Science
Subject: Science and technology
ISSN: 0036-8075
Year: 1990
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